If there’s a genetic predisposition to teaching, it probably runs in my family. My father is a high school math teacher, my mother was a preschool teacher, my brother taught elementary, and my sister has a PhD and is sticking in academia where she has already done much teaching at a post-secondary level. I feel like there’s a shared love of the pursuit of knowledge, as well as being able to pass that on to others, that made us all go down these paths. I started teaching through volunteer work at summer camps at a young age, and that followed me all the way through university where I worked as a camp leader and educator for the Museum in my hometown of Kitimat, and as a camp leader for the Active Minds summer program that UNBC offers. Through all these experiences, I have been able to teach kids from the ages of 3-18, and I learned so much from them.
I’m also lucky to have had a variety of jobs throughout my life, ranging from library page, to grounds crew at a golf course, to working in an industrial aluminum plant. My profession may be teaching but I know the importance and value of a day’s work in other professions. The reason I value education so much is that it gives the ability for anyone to become what they set out to be if they put in the time and effort. Being a part of that journey is what makes teaching such an amazing profession.
Outside of work and school, I have many other interests that have guided me to where I am today. I love sports and have played a few in my time, especially soccer, badminton, and karate. Karate especially has had a huge influence on my life, teaching me patience, discipline, and balance in life. I was able to take it further and receive accreditation as an official Karate BC referee, and even took part in the BC Games as an official. While I don’t have as much time for these things now as I did when I was a teenager, they still hold a place close to my heart and the memories and lessons I learned from them will stay with me always. I also classically trained in piano, as well as playing other instruments, and have a love of playing and composing music. My degree is in Biology, but I love history, political sciences, math, and a whole slew of topics. More than anything, I just love to talk to people about things that they’re interested in, and always want to find out more about those things.
These are all things I had with me as I entered the UNBC education program. If you want to read more about my thoughts, ideas, and work as they pertain specifically to education, please check out my other pages and blog posts!